Parenting Together: Recipe For A Happy Family!

Parenting should be a very rewarding time in the life of a family. However, if one partner refuses to help out, or thinks that parenting is the woman's job, problems and hurt feelings can arise. However, you can avoid many of the negative aspects of parenting with some good communication skills and a common plan. Here are some hints to get you started on the journey toward good parenting.

It is important to have the "parenting talk" as soon as possible, even before your baby is born. In today's modern family, both parents often work, and coming home to a full evening and night of caring for a baby or young child can put a real damper on the day. Have a plan in place, deciding which parent will do what each day. Even make a calendar to make sure that duties are divided fairly. For instance, mom may take over feeding and playing with baby, while dad makes dinner. Both partners can help with clean-up, leaving plenty of family time left over for the evening.

Make sure you are both on the same page about parenting responsibilities. Plan doctor and dentist appointments early enough to make a plan for who will accompany the child when both parents are not available. Share bedtime responsibilities, such as one parent taking over bath-time, and the other, jammies and bedtime stories. Even rides to school and homework help should be discussed. There are many responsibilities to be shared, so take the time, relax and come up with ideas that are fair to both parents.

New parents are often sleep deprived and stress overloaded. To avoid these problems, come up with ideas that can lessen each person's load, while allowing each parent to get a good night's sleep from time-to-time, and time to de-stress as well. Things such as shared night-time feedings or a couple of hours with friends on the weekend can keep parents happy and eager to get back to family responsibilities with a smile.

It is crucial to form a discipline plan that both parents can agree on. A family can fall apart if one parent wishes to implement spanking as a form of discipline and the other is totally against it. Get this important subject out in the open, make a solid plan and agree to discipline your children both fairly and in agreement.

If parents come from different religious backgrounds, it can be hard to know which direction to point the kids in. Get this important decision out of the way early, and find some common ground between you. You may decide on one faith to raise your children by, or give them exposure to both, so that they can decide when the time is right.

Finally, be sure to include time in your busy lives for family activities and fun outings. Remember: families that play together stay together. This rings true when you look at the many families with unhappy children and parents who don't spend enough time together as a unit. Sharing meals, going for walks or bike-rides together and planning movie or game nights are all ways for you and your family to get together and re-connect after a busy day or stressful work-week.

It is obvious that parents need to work together in order to create a loving, harmonious home-life for the family. No parent should have to bear the full load of child-care in this age of equal work responsibility. If you and your spouse or partner work together and form a workable parenting plan early on, you will be better able to form loving, lasting relationships with your children and each other as well!